Cree

Cree is a LED manufacturing company based in Durham, North Carolina. They produce a number of different models of high output LEDs that are widely used in flashlights. They do not actually make flashlights, though some companies will describe their product as a "Cree flashlight." This refers to the LED inside the flashlight.

Cree bins individual models of LED on the basis of total flux or light output. Individual flux bins are about 7% apart taken at some reference current like 350mA or 750mA, but at higher currents the output goes up, up to some maximum current. Cree measures output at a reference temperature 85° Celsius, which is a more realistic operating temperature, but in the past they measured at 25°. Output is typically higher at a lower temperature.

Cree classifies tints of white LEDs as being warm, neutral, and cool, but also "outdoor white" in between and overlapping neutral and cool (4000-5300K). Tints are binned using a system based on the ANSI_White standard. Cree's tints subdivide and expand on the ANSI regions giving bins such as cool 1B, neutral 5B1, and warm 7D2, though many other tints and subdivisions are available. Click on the graphic at right to see all of the bins, though not all bins are available.

Below are output numbers for different currents for the various brightness bins of more current LED models. There is more information available with the Cree Product Characterization Tool, an online calculator that allows you to look up output based on more factors. The numbers on this page, like those given by the PCT, are based on charts in the LED datasheets.

Older models of Cree LEDs have been moved here. For bins at 25° see this page.

Contents

MT-G2

Large die high power LED has versions that run at 6, 9, or 36 volts with maximum power of 18 watts, first available around November 2012. The LED is 8.9mm x 8.9mm and the light will be floody compared to the smaller XM-L. The first production lights to use this LED were the Crelant 7G10 and Solarforce S200, introduced in May 2013. The LED is binned at 85°C. The bins shown below have been increased by 15% to give output at 25°C for easier comparison to other LEDs.

Brightness Bins for 6-volt Cree MT-G2 at 25° C

Bin

1100mA100%

1500mA172%

3000mA230%

D0

460-506

598-658

1058-1164

E0

506-552

658-718

1164-1270

F0

552-598

718-777

1270-1375

G0

598-644

777-837

1375-1481

H0

644-690

837-897

1481-1587

J0

690-736

897-957

1587-1693

K0

736-782

957-1017

1693-1799

M0

782-828

1017-1076

1799-1904

N0

828-874

1076-1136

1904-2010

P0

874-920

1136-1196

2010-2116

Q0*

920-977

1196-1681

2116-2248

XHP70

A large multi-die emitter available in 6-volt and 12-volt versions. Available in a number of big lights by Nitecore and others.

Brightness Bins for Cree XP-H at 85°C(max is N4 bin)

Bin

2100mA (6V)1050mA (12V)100%

3200mA (6V)1600mA (12V)142%

4800mA (6V)2400mA (12V)192%

H4

970-1040

1377-1477

1862-1997

J2

1040-1120

1477-1590

1997-2150

J4

1120-1200

1590-1704

2150-2304

K2

1200-1290

1704-1832

2304-2477

K4

1290-1380

1832-1960

2477-2650

M2

1380-1485

1960-2109

2650-2851

M4

1485-1590

2109-2258

2851-3053

N2

1590-1710

2258-2428

3053-3283

N4*

1710-1830

2428-2599

3283-3514

P2

1830-1965

2599-2790

3514-3773

XM-L2

Same 5mm x 5mm size as the original XM-L but with up to 20% more output. Introduced in December 2012. Like the XP-G2, the XM-L2 is silver on top, has two bonding wires, and the die has dots instead of lines. The XM-L2 is significantly larger than the XP-G2 and has a round hole at the upper left as opposed to the XP-G2's square hole. The first production lights to feature the XM-L2 were the ThruNite Catapult V3 and TN31 in January 2013, followed by a number of Xeno lights which also had options for neutral tints in Feburary. Press release.

XP-E2

Introduced in September 2012, this redesign is similar to the XP-G2. Cree claims up to 20% more output than the original XP-E at half the cost in terms of lumens per dollar. Given the small die size, this LED throws well for the amount of output. It was used in some smaller Fenix flashlights. Press realease, datasheet.

Cree XP-E2 LED has a smaller die than the XP-G2

Brightness Bins for Cree XP-E2 at 85°C(max bin is R4)

Bin

350mA100%

700mA171%

1000mA218%

P2

67-74

115-127

147-161

P3

74-81

127-138

161-176

P4

81-87

138-150

176-191

Q2

87-94

150-161

191-205

Q3

94-100

161-171

205-218

Q4

100-107

171-183

218-233

Q5

107-114

183-195

233-249

R2

114-122

195-209

249-266

R3

122-130

209-222

266-283

R4*

130-138

223-236

284-301

XP-G2

Introduced in July 2012, the XP-G2 is an all new design with the same size as the earlier XP-G. In August 2012, Foursevens was the first company to adopt this LED, claiming up to 20% more output and a 5% smaller hotspot for greater throw compared to the same models using a XP-G. Press release, Datasheet

Cree XP-G2 LED is the same size as the XP-G, but a different design

Brightness Bins for Cree XP-G2 at 85°C(max is S4 bin)

Bin

350mA100%

700mA183%

1000mA243%

1500mA329%

Q4

100-107

183-196

243-260

330-353

Q5

107-114

196-209

260-277

353-376

R2

114-122

209-223

277-297

376-402

R3

122-130

223-238

297-316

402-429

R4

130-139

238-255

316-338

429-458

R5

139-148

255-271

338-360

458-488

S2

148-156

271-286

360-379

488-514

S3

156-164

286-300

379-399

514-541

S4*

164-172

300-315

399-418

541-567

XP-G3

Announced in April 2016, the XP-G3 is completely covered in yellow phosphor and can be driven to higher currents than the XP-G2, with a maximum current of 2 amps instead of 1.5. High CRI versions of the LED appear to be available in all tints, even cool tints. Press release, Datasheet

Brightness Bins for Cree XP-G3 at 85°C(max is S5 bin)

Bin

350mA100%

1000mA197%

1500mA345%

2000mA427%

R2

114-122

225-240

284-304

393-421

R3

122-130

240-256

304-324

421-449

R4

130-139

256-274

324-346

449-480

R5

139-148

274-292

346-369

480-511

S2

148-156

292-307

369-388

511-538

S3

156-164

307-323

388-408

538-566

S4

164-172

323-339

408-428

566-593

S5*

172-182

339-359

428-453

593-628

XP-L

Cree XP-L HD LED puts a large die in a XP-G size package under a frosted dome

Cree XP-L HI does away with the dome, allowing greater throw

Introduced in May 2014, the XP-L puts the same size die as the XM-L2 onto the smaller 3.5mm board of the XP-G (shaving off the edges of the dome to make it fit). Due to the larger die, it will not throw quite as well as the smaller die of the XP-G, but it puts out more light and can be driven at higher currents. Binned at a higher current than the XM-L2, higher bins are typical for the XP-L, but a V5 bin XP-L is roughly equivalent in output to a U2 bin XM-L2. In June 2015, Cree began shipping a "high intensity" or "HI" version of the LED with a flat coating instead of a dome that could offer the throw of a de-domed LED without the trouble. The original domed version is referred to as "high density" or "HD." The brightness bins for both are the same, but the highest bin on the HI is about V3.